


fool's paradise

by finalfrontierpioneer



Series: saints and sinners [3]
Category: Funhaus (Video Blogging RPF), Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Angst, First Dates, First Kiss, GTA V AU, M/M, but can function as a standalone fic, i didn't make a mistake, lawrence is mentioned but not actually present, this does actually tie into the other stories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-09-23 02:39:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17071928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/finalfrontierpioneer/pseuds/finalfrontierpioneer
Summary: Adam's no longer working jobs, which brings a whole host of opportunities (and future issues)





	fool's paradise

**Author's Note:**

> To the 5 (maybe???) people reading this, THANK YOU!!! I love and cherish every single one of you. 
> 
> This does tie into the other stories in my GTA V series, but you don't have to read the other to get this. 
> 
> Standard disclaimer applies, I do not own these people. This is all made up and completely fictional.

“It is better to be unhappy and know the worst, than to be happy in a fool's paradise.” -Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Idiot

(But is it?)

Adam’s used to being alone. In fact, he prefers it. But now that the last job his crew attempted blew up in their faces, he doesn’t have a choice. The team completely disbanded with the agreement that they would cut all contact with each other. He’s officially been laying low for about three and a half months now, and he’s going stir crazy.

So he has a perfectly logical reason to be at the animal shelter looking at cats. He doesn’t have a perfectly logical reason to be ogling the hot guy looking at a golden retriever, but...it’s been a while, and in his defence, the guy’s really hot.

As soon as he’s decided he’s within his rights to enjoy watching the stretch of his t shirt across broad shoulders as the guy bends over to scratch under the dog’s chin, they accidentally make eye contact.

Fuck. (He can’t help but notice those eyes are the bluest he’s ever seen. Who is this guy, a Disney prince?)

Disney prince grins. “See something you like?”

Adam blinks. “Um, I’m just looking at...cats…” he gestures vaguely behind him toward the door.

The guy mock pouts. “I meant my ass, but way to crush my ego.”

Adam chokes on a surprised laugh, “Well, sure, that was nice, too,” he finally finds his courage.

The handsome stranger smiles more genuinely now, “I’m James, by the way.” He holds out his hand.

He finds himself smiling widely in return, for what feels like the first time in ages. “Adam.” He shakes the offered hand firmly.

“Were you gonna go look at the cats now?”

“Oh!” Yes, that is what Adam was planning to do before he got distracted. “Ye-” He cocks his head and reconsiders. “Actually, I think maybe I’ve found something better to do. You busy after this?”

James shakes his head, “Not even a little.”

“Wanna grab a bite to eat?”

“I thought you’d never ask. Yes, definitely.”

And then Adam’s going on the first real date he’s been on in...years? The criminal lifestyle doesn’t really allow for much romance, mostly secrets. But Adam’s not that criminal anymore.

So for the first time, he just sits back and enjoys life.  
\------------  
The first time they kiss, it takes Adam by surprise how good it is. James takes him mini-golfing, and proceeds to kick his ass.

Surprisingly, the competitive side of Adam doesn’t even mind.

Not even when James rubs it in his face, waving the final scorecard in his face. “Look at this, Adam. Were you even trying?” James shakes his head in mock disappointment.

Adam grins; James’ teasing seems to have a weird effect on him. He smiles way too much. “Maybe you were trying TOO hard,” he throws back.

“Me?” James gasps, “Trying too hard? Never.” He crowds in close, poking Adam’s chest, “Take that back.”

“Make me,” Adam challenges.

James’ eyes light up with the challenge. He leans in even closer, so that his chest is now pressed up against Adam’s. “Want me to go easy on you this time, baby boy?”

Adam’s gaze flicks down to James’ lips before back up to his eyes. “Never,” he murmurs before leaning in to press his lips to James’.

James meets him halfway. It starts out chaste, closed lips against closed lips. Then James is pushing it dirtier, teasing Adam’s lips open with his skilled tongue. Adam groans; he can’t help letting it drag out for a few seconds more.

Eventually, it falls upon him to push James away- they are still in public.

They stand there, on the mini-golf course, staring at each other. Adam could swear his knees are actually weak.

James licks his lips. Adam finds himself unconsciously leaning in.

He’s so screwed, he finds himself thinking, even as his lips spread in a soft smile.  
\-----------  
(The first time they sleep together? Not at all a surprise how good it is.)  
\-----------  
He and James mostly talk about video games and movies. And of course, they flirt. Aaaaaand they spend a lot of time otherwise occupying their mouths. It’s not that Adam avoids talking about his “career”, it just never comes up.

So Adam isn’t entirely surprised when they end up dating for a month before the topic actually comes up.

They’re in Adam’s kitchen making dinner. Well, James is roasting some chicken and vegetables in a large pan while Adam drinks a beer. But he’s totally helping. Moral support.

He sets his beer down and crosses the kitchen to wrap his arms around James’ waist.

“I don’t know if this is an awkward time to mention it or not, but the funniest thing happened to me at work,” James begins.

“What happened?”

“Well...my partner asked if he could set me up with his sister?” James cringes a little.

Adam doesn’t pull away, but it’s a near thing. “What did you say? You said no, right?”

“Of course I said no! I said I had a boyfriend,” James turns in Adam’s arms so they’re face to face. “That wasn’t a mistake, right? It just came out.”

This was not a discussion Adam was expecting tonight, but when he really thinks about it, he realizes there’s no discussion to be had at all. “No, no! Yeah...you do have a boyfriend.”

He carefully frames James’ face with his hands and leans in for a deep kiss. James reciprocates eagerly and it’s not long before the kiss is more heated than he intended.

James eventually playfully pushes him away, “You know if I burn this, it’s all your fault.”

Adam’s smiling. He has a boyfriend cooking dinner for him and a newly adopted cat snoozing in the other room. His life is great? How did this happen? He’s even started looking for a normal job, so he can have an answer for James when that comes up. Because, he’s realizing, he does eventually want it to come up. He wants this to be real.

And then he realizes ALL of what James said. “Wait, partner?”

James has already turned back to the pan. “Yeah, my partner. Wilson, he’s actually been on the force a few years longer than me.”

Adam’s heart stops.

“You’re a cop? You never told me you were a cop.” He hopes his voice is coming out normal.

“Oh shit, sorry. Yeah, I’m a cop. I really never mentioned it?”

Adam takes a deep breath. Shit. He has to end this.  
\------------  
He doesn’t. He doesn’t even really consider it. James is a ray of sunshine in his otherwise gray life, and he’s sure as hell not giving it up now.

They’re coming up on their 6 month anniversary and Adam is seriously considering asking James to move in with him.

He’s browsing apartments on zillow when the doorbell rings. James is working late tonight, but maybe he got off early and came over to surprise Adam? James is always doing shit like that.

Adam swings open the door, expecting to see James with a bag of takeout, maybe from that Chinese place down the street that they love.

It’s not James.

It’s Bruce.

Adam yanks him into the apartment before hurriedly glancing both ways down the hallways to make sure none of his neighbors saw.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

“We have a serious problem,” Bruce doesn’t bother with small talk.

Adam angrily gestures for him to go on, “Well?”

“The LSPD found a witness that places Lawrence at scene of that...incident last year.”

Well, Lawrence is screwed. “And? How is that our problem? Lawrence can take care of himself. It’s just the police.”

“If the police know, the Fakes know.”

Adam falls silent.

Bruce starts in on a rant. “You know, I called Lawrence as a favor. My guy in the department was the one who told me. And you know what Lawrence said to me?”

Certainly nothing good, Adam imagines.

“He said, ‘I’m not above giving up names to save my own skin, Bruce.’ What the fuck? Who say that?”

Bruce paces in front of Adam angrily. Adam can see the life he’s built for himself in these 6 months falling apart right before his eyes. He pinches the bridge of his nose.

“What are we supposed to do, Bruce?”

“If we don’t want Lawrence giving up names, we have to keep him safe.” Bruce rolls his eyes, “Or kill him ourselves.”

Adam honestly considers it for a second. Fuck Lawrence. And fuck his lack of loyalty. But he sighs.

“Keep him safe it is.”

“Meet me at his place tomorrow at 8. We’ll all come up with a plan.” Bruce passes him a slip of paper with an address on it, as well as a phone number. “That’s my number now, by the way.”

They stare at each other in silence.

Bruce finally breaks it, clapping Adam on the back. “Look, no hard feelings if you don’t want to help. I can handle it.”

“Can you?”Adam asks doubtfully.

“Yes!” Bruce takes offence. “I’m giving you an out here.”

“Well, don’t, okay? You’re gonna need my help.”

More silence.

Bruce speaks up again. “Well, kinda feels exciting doesn’t it?”

Adam has to admit it does, a little. But it’s also a wake up call he didn’t ever want to have to answer.

He grins half-heartedly for Bruce’s benefit as he sees him to the door. “I’ll be there,” he promises.  
\-------------------  
Adam breaks up with James that very night.

He can’t stomach the takeout James brings home with him. When he tells James he can’t do it anymore, the naked confusion and hurt James’ face almost brings the meager amount of food he ate back up.

“I don’t understand.” Of course James doesn’t understand. Everything’s been perfect until tonight.

“Look, it’s nothing you’ve done. I just can’t keep pretending to be someone I’m not anymore.” This rings close to the truth.

“You’ve been pretending?”James is angry now, and bewildered still. “This whole relationship has been you pretending?!”

Not exactly, but, “Yes. It’s been fun while it lasted, but James, this isn’t going anywhere.” Adam is no good at breakups. Especially ones he doesn’t actually mean.

“But I love you,” James pleads.

Adam closes his eyes against tears. It’s the first time either of them has said those three words. I love you too, he wants to say. He wants to take everything back, to finish eating the takeout, and to make James moan his name until the early hours of the morning.

But he can’t. He won’t put James in danger. James would only be a weak point, even more so because he’s a cop. Bruce and Lawrence can never know, much less anyone else they go up against from here on out.

“James,” he chokes out, “that doesn’t change anything. This is over. I want you to leave.”

James looks like he’s been slapped. “That’s it then? You won’t listen to anything else I have to say?”

“I don’t care what you have to say.” He turns his back on James to scrape his nearly full plate into the trash and start washing it.

James takes an aborted step toward Adam, before spinning on his heel and marching toward the door.

When he slams the door, there’s a deafening silence in the apartment. He finally lets himself break down and cry.  
\-------------------  
In the morning,he’s all business. Adam turns off his cell phone and tosses it in the trash. He scoops the clothes out of his dresser drawers and throws them in a duffel bag. He’ll sort through them later, he doesn’t care what he takes with him.

He only pauses when he realizes that some of James’ clothes are mixed in. He considers removing them, but allows himself a moment of weakness. He zips up the bag. No one has to know.

He even makes arrangements for Jinx. It’s almost as bad as another breakup, saying goodbye to his cat. He gives her to the old lady next door, knowing the woman will take good care of her.

He takes a final look around his apartment and remembers the last six months before locking up.

He won’t be coming back for a while. If ever.

He should never have asked James out in the first place. Now he’s hurt both of them. Adam was better off alone. He locks the door.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this! This was my first time writing killems, but there will definitely be more in the future! (I just haven't written it yet.) 
> 
> This hasn't really been edited or anything, mostly because I'm just trying to get shit posted. I told myself I would try to finish all my drafts before the new year, but we'll see how that goes. 
> 
> Drop me a comment or a kudos if ya feel like it!


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